Rosales, Estuesta spearhead RP bid

A tandem of a European Tour veteran and US LPGA Tour campaigner will spearhead the Philippines’ bid in the inaugural staging of the Women’s World Cup Golf beginning tomorrow in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Mary Grace Estuesta, who has been campaigning in the Euro Tour in three of the last five years, and Jennifer Rosales, the first local bred Filipina to see action in the LPGA circuit, banner the RP squad in the $1 million team event which drew six of the world’s top 10 women golfers.

Although Estuesta has yet to come up with a creditable performance in the European circuit, Rosales said she’s counting on her fellow former RP Ladies Open champion for the experience in the four-day event at the Mines Resort & Golf Club.

"Ate Mary Grace is hitting the ball well and I’m working on my swing," said Rosales, who had a joint 12th place effort in the US Women’s Open for her best finish in the LPGA Tour.

"We hope to land in the top 5 but we don’t know how tough the competition would be but I promise we’ll give it a shot," added Rosales, who helped brother Gerald win his first-ever pro title in the just-concluded Philippine Open.

Sixteen countries are seeing action, 12 having qualified automatically based on the LPGA Order of Merit ranking and four picked by the Selection Committee.

World no. 1 Karrie Webb of Australia, one of two LPGA players to earn more than $1 million in a single season, with partner Rachel Hetherington, is expected to lead the cast.

The 26-year-old Webb has bagged seven LPGA Tour championships this year – the AFLAC Championship, Oldsmobile Classic, US Women’s Open, Nabisco Championship, Takefuji Classic, Australian Ladies Masters and The Office Depot.

Sweden’s Annika Sorenstam, the world No. 2, is also scheduled to play, partnering younger sister Charlotte.

In 1998, Sorenstam, 30, became the first player in LPGA history to finish a season with a sub-70 scoring average (69.99), but this was broken by Webb (69.43) in 1999.

This year, Annika has five victories under her belt - the Welch’s/Circle K. Championship, the Firstar LPGA Classic, the Evian Masters, Jamie Farr Kroger Classic and the Japan Airlines Big Apple Classic.

The United States will be represented by world Nos. 3 and 4, Meg Mallon and Juli Inkster, respectively.

The 37-year-old Mallon crossed the $ 4 million mark on her career earnings following her win at the Sara Lee Classic in May last year.

Inkster, 40, crossed the $ 1 million mark in 1999 after only 16 events, joining Webb to achieve that feat in a single season.

Former world No. 1 current No. 10 Laura Davies is scheduled to partner Trish Johnson to represent England, while Scotland is sending Janice Moodie (13th) and Catriona Matthew (30th).

Canada will be represented by Lorie Kane and A.J. Eathorne, while Colombia will also have a sister act in Marisa and Cristina Baena. Silvia Cavallari and Giulia Sergas will represent Italy and Peru will have Jenny Lidback and Alicia Dibos.

France will field Marine Monnet and Patricia Lebouc, while Marnie McGuire and Lynette Brooky will represent New Zealand.

Host Malaysia will be represented by Lim Siew Ai and Lim Ai Lian.

Japan will send Hiromi Kobayashi and Yuri Fudo, while Taiwan’s representatives are Yu Ping Lin and Connie Wei Yun Jye.

Sun Hee Lee and So Young Park will be South Korea’s representatives.